


Demon! Ned AU Oneshots

by Ishouldbestudying7



Category: Pushing Daisies
Genre: Chuck summons him one day, Demon AU, Demon! Ned, F/M, Ned and chuck can touch, Series of Oneshots, no sex because I'm not going to write that, no super graphic depictions of death/violence, they fall in love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-08
Updated: 2020-09-13
Packaged: 2021-03-06 18:14:54
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,053
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26353270
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ishouldbestudying7/pseuds/Ishouldbestudying7
Summary: Pushing Daisies AU where a young Charlotte Charles accidentally summons a demon, only to find that he's a boy around her age, and that he's actually kind of fun to play with. Cut to years later, and Chuck doesn't remember if her demon friend was real or just another product of her imagination. So, one stormy night, se decided to take out the old candles and find out..And all she finds is that he's really cute now.A collection of oneshots from an AU where Ned is a demon that can touch Chuck, and just wants to learn more about pies.
Relationships: Charlotte "Chuck" Charles/Ned
Comments: 7
Kudos: 7





	1. Emerson finds out

**Author's Note:**

> Hey all! Here's a little collection of oneshots, thanks to the Pushing Daisies discord server (and specifically Bee) for helping me come up with the idea! Please enjoy, and don't forget to leave a comment!

The scene ahead of them was grisly, even for the most seasoned of detectives. 

Emerson and Chuck had to avert their eyes for a moment the second they walked in, with Ned doing the same as soon as he came up behind them. His hand groped for Chuck’s and she gave it a quick squeeze from behind her back as the group stepped into the destroyed bar.

The facts were these; a man by the name of Stan Deane had been killed while enjoying a night out. His leisurely beer sipping had been interrupted by a barrage of projectiles barreling through the pub’s large windows, effectively demolishing the establishment and Stan’s last remaining chance at survival. Luckily, the bartender/owner of the bar had been outside taking a smoke break, leaving Stan as the only victim of the onslaught. The owner had then proceeded to call upon the investigative services of Emerson Cod, believing that Stan had been the victim of foul play and demanding that the people responsible be brought to justice for the damage done to his workspace. 

Emerson was eager enough to take on the job (what with the promise of a large payday and a bottle of top-shelf whiskey), but he was a little less enthusiastic about his sometimes-partner Chuck bringing along her more-than-sometimes partner Ned. He knew very little about the newcomer, with the only explanation he had been given being that Ned was a full time pie enthusiast, part time forensic scientist and Chuck’s childhood friend. However, when confronted about both of those things, Ned just withdrew into himself until only Chuck could get him back out, meaning Emerson never got any more answers. Usually he hated not knowing everything about the people he worked with and he always had the feeling that something was...off about Ned. Maybe it was the lack of last name, discernible background, credentials or the fact that he preferred to do his sleuthing alone, but he got the job done surprisingly well and led to lots of money for Emerson, so he decided to keep his mouth shut for the time being. 

Speaking of which…

Chuck and Ned were investigating the crime scene together; Chuck with an empathetic but morbidly fascinated eye and Ned while looking like he was two seconds from bolting down the street. His hands were shoved forcefully into the pockets of his black trenchcoat. If Chuck looked closely, she could see the color of his eyes change ever so slightly, his pupils jumping from their natural state to his disguised state rapidly. She took his arm and rested her head on his bicep and she felt him take a deep breath and relax a little physically as she did. She found it kind of cute that he got so scared about this kind of thing (especially considering his origins), but she knew she had to keep him calm and level-headed. 

She didn’t need a full-on reveal now. 

They stood and watched Emerson as he inspected the room, taking his time strolling around the chalk outline of the body and the broken glass around the floor. Then he and Chuck talked to the owner; Chuck using her feminine charm and shining personality to get several details out of the frightened man while Emerson took notes and Ned looked a tad uncomfortable in the back. This is why Emerson had taken Chuck on as a partner; as much as he clashed with her sunny disposition and empathetic urges, he had warmed up to her and knew that she was absolutely indispensable when it came to dealing with the human element of his work. 

Ned’s usefulness, on the other hand, was sometimes overshadowed by how damn nervous he was all the time.  _ The man’s like a jack in the box ready to pop, _ Emerson thought.  _ One more turn of the crank and he’s out of here. _

The two investigators excused the owner and turned to Ned, whose shoulders were hiked up so high that Emerson was surprised he could still hear. Rolling his eyes, he addressed the ball of tension in an trenchcoat, 

“Alright pie man, do your thing. I still don’t understand why your skinny ass has to be in here alone with a corpse, but you bring me money, so for right now…” he inspected Ned from head to toe, “I’m just gonna let it happen and wait for you to bring the results so the clients bring the money. You have exactly one minute, pie boy. Don’t disappoint me.”

And with that, he strode out of the bar, pulling a wad of cash out of his pocket to count as he waited. 

Chuck looked towards the door and then back at Ned, who looked only slightly less uncomfortable with Emerson out of the room. He looked down at Chuck and gave her a timid smile as she gave his hand a reassuring squeeze. 

“Hey, you got this! Just a quick trip and then right back. You know I’ll keep Emerson occupied until the coast is clear.”

Ned gave her another smile.

“I know, Chuck. It’s just...weird for me to see the ‘before’ bit. I’m so used to dealing with these people after everything has ended.”

When Ned squeezed her hand back, she could feel that the tips of his fingers were slightly sharper than usual, and when she looked into his eyes she could see the pupils beginning to shift and the irises beginning to glow. 

She didn’t have a lot of time to waste. 

She pulled him down gently by his necktie and gave him a quick kiss. She could feel him relax a bit into her touch, which she knew he needed. When they parted, he flashed her a lopsided, newly-fanged smile. She patted him on the arm and turned away, sliding her hand down into his for one last reassuring squeeze. 

“Remember, one minute. Be safe, Ned.”

He smiled at her, the pressure on her hand lessening as he turned from her. 

“I always am, Chuck. See you soon.”

With that, Chuck turned towards the door as Ned walked towards the middle of the room, the residual heat of his departure warming Chuck’s back as she exited, ready to go join and distract Emerson while waiting for Ned’s one minute deadline to be up.

\--------------

Ten minutes later, Emerson was working on tapping a hole into the pavement outside of the bar. 

All had been silent in there for several minutes, and although Emerson had been antsy to get back onto the job since a minute and 30 seconds had passed, Chuck had successfully managed to divert his attention every time he tried to barge back through the doors to ask what the hell was taking so long. 

Chuck herself kept listening to the lack of sounds in the bar and spouting off excuses and pleas to give Ned more time to “complete his investigation”. 

Letting out a huff of air, Emerson turned on his heel, mumbling under his breath. 

“Screw the waiting, I’m going in there and dragging his skinny butt out of there.”

He made it halfway to the door before he was stopped by Chuck’s hands on his chest. He rolled his eyes and glared down at her, patience worn out. However, the unstoppable force of Emerson’s anger met the resistance of Chuck’s immovable determination. 

“Come on Emerson, just give him a little more time! Ned has never failed you before, this case is just taking a little longer, that’s all! Even you have to admit that this is a tricky one.”

Chuck moved her hands to her hips and fixed Emerson with her best ‘You know I’m right’ stare. Emerson sighed and rubbed his temples; even though Chuck barely came up to his shoulders, she had this know-it-all air about her that sometimes even Emerson had to bow to. 

That didn’t mean he was happy about it. 

Deflating again, Emerson huffed several curse words under his breath and moved back to lean against the wall. 

But whether Ned or Chuck were ready for it or not, he was going to get back to the crime scene. And soon. 

\-------

“So you’re telling me that your mid-life crisis was getting involved in mob activity? Why couldn’t you have bought a sports car or dyed your hair like everyone else?”

Stan Deane shrugged, wincing as a spurt of flames erupted on his right. 

“I don’t know, just regular crime wasn’t doing it for me anymore. I guess I should have known I would have ended up here. It’s not bad, all things considered.”

Ned pinched the bridge of his nose, careful not to break the skin due to the sharpness of his claws. Almost everything about him had changed since entering the realm of the dead, but the most obvious change was in his appearance. Instead of just a regular, tall, gangly human, Ned had taken on his true form; his nails had sharpened into claws and his teeth had become fangs, his eyes were now a deep glowing auburn, and two blackish-red horns were sprouting out of his forehead and curling up towards the crimson ceiling of Hell. and although his hands were wrapped tightly around himself in annoyance, a pair of dragon wings fluttered angrily on his back, restless and begging to return back to the mortal realm with the little information he had. Turning his attention back to Stan, Ned let out a little sigh. 

“Oh trust me, it will be worse once I let you go. I just needed some information out of you, but since it took me so long to track you down and you’ve only given me minimal useful information, I assure you you’re not going to have a good time. So, before I leave, just let me get this straight; you were killed by the Norwegian mob?”

Stan nodded, apparently still not grasping the fact that he was being questioned by a literal demon in literal Hell. Satisfied that he had enough to bring back to Emerson and Chuck, Ned banished Stan back to his punishment with a flick of his wrist. Shaking out his shoulders, he spread his wings and got ready to head back to the mortal world. 

“God, I hope I wasn’t gone too long.”

With that last declaration, Ned leapt into the air and started soaring towards the vaulted crimson ceiling of Hell, headed towards the portal he had opened earlier that would lead him back home. 

\-------------

Emerson was just about ready to break the doors down when he heard the sound of glass breaking from inside the bar. Chuck heard it too and tried to listen for any other sounds to indicate that Ned was ready for them to come in, as she knew that it always took him a moment to catch his bearings and get rid of all his demon attributes before he was ready to let Emerson and herself in to tell them all that he had learned in Hell (although he would never divulge his sources to anyone but her). 

However, she wasn’t able to give Ned that time since Emerson took the sound of the shattered glass as his invitation to enter. Chuck could only squeak out, 

“Emerson, wait!”

But it was too late. The heavy oak doors of the bar swung on their hinges as Emerson barged his way inside….

Only to be greeted by the sight of Ned in full demon form, with one wing stretched out slightly over the broken glass, eyes blazing and fangs on full display in a grimace. He turned slowly to face Emerson and Chuck, who had followed shortly after the PI. 

Both Chuck and Ned said, “Let me explain” at the same time Emerson shouted out, “Oh  _ HELL _ NO!”

Before either Ned or Chuck could say anything, Emerson had pulled out his gun and cocked it, pointing it straight at Ned’s heart. Ned gulped quickly and put his clawed hands in the air, forgetting in his panic that he was stronger, faster and more powerful than any mortal or weapon. 

It’s hard to remember details when your friend is pointing a gun at your chest. 

Emerson moved to block the entryway, teeth gritted and all the time making sure his gun was firmly pointed at his target. 

“Alright, you...whatever you are, you have exactly five seconds to get out of that pie maker before I fill your demonic ass full of lead.”

“NO! Emerson, that _ is _ Ned!”

"Like Hell it's Ned! My mama warned me that the devil would try to trick me one day, and boy am I glad I had my gun for when he did!"

"No, Emerson. If you shoot Ned you're going to have to shoot me too!"

Emerson, who had completely ignored Chuck’s existence until this point, watched dumbfounded as she dashed forward, wrapping her arms around Ned’s middle and effectively blocking the path of Emerson’s gun. Ned’s right wing instinctively wrapped itself around her, hands still in the air. Now that Chuck had entered the line of fire, all self preservation left him. He just had to make sure she was safe. He leaned down slightly, his glowing eyes never leaving Emerson’s.

“Chuck, what are you doing? You need to get behind Emerson. Whatever happens to me, I need you to be safe. I’ll be fine, just get out of the way.”

Chuck responded by giving him a little squeeze, letting him know that she wasn’t going anywhere. 

Okay, plan B then.

Ned turned his eyes towards Emerson, careful not to appear too threatening as he slowly lowered his arms and wrapped them around Chuck, careful of his claws and aware that his horns were practically scraping the ceiling. Trying to dim the glow of his eyes and attempting to not show too much of his fangs, Ned looked Emerson directly in the eyes. 

“Emerson, I know this is a lot to take in, but the truth is that I am still Ned. I’ve always been Ned, just like I’ve always been a demon. Chuck’s known about me since we were little, she can vouch for me. I’m not going to hurt you, Emerson, just like I'm not going to hurt Chuck or anyone else. I’m not here to hurt or trick anyone. I just want to spend my time with Chuck, and making pie. That’s all. So put the gun down, Emerson, before someone gets hurt.”

Emerson looked from Ned, to Chuck, to the gun, then back again. Taking a steadying breath, he lowered it slightly, but didn’t put it away completely. Ned and Chuck looked at each other, and Ned pulled her closer, afraid that Emerson would change his mind. From her spot at his side, he heard Chuck whisper, 

“Please Emerson, just let us explain. Ned wouldn’t hurt a fly, you know that.”

Emerson seemed to think it over for a moment. Then, bracing himself, he said, 

“Okay...If you’re really the piemaker, then show me the piemaker. None of this horn shit; if I’m going to talk this out it’s not going to be with anyone who has fangs.”

Ned gave a little, tense smile. 

“Gladly.”

Letting Chuck go slightly, Ned took a deep breath and closed his eyes. With another breath, all of his demon attributes began to disappear; his horns and wings retreated, his fangs turned back into regular canines and his hands returned to normal. The piemaker stood before them once again, feeling very awkward about transforming in front of anyone who wasn’t Chuck. Emerson’s gun had been forgotten in his disbelief, his mouth hanging open slightly. Ned and Chuck looked at each other and gave sheepish smiles. In an attempt to diffuse the tension, Ned said the only thing that came to mind.

“So, who wants pie?”


	2. Get thee out of a Nunnery (Part One)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's a re-write of the episode "Bad Habits", but without Olive and Ned is a demon on Holy ground. Emerson is investegating a suicide/murder of a nun and despite his protests, Ned is too valuable to leave behind

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Part One of Two because it's late and I don't want to wake up my roommate. Part Two will be posted tomorrow. 
> 
> Not totally following canon, but that's fine because I'm the captain now and I say so. Also this is an AU where Ned is a demon, its not going to be totally canon compliant right off the bat. 
> 
> Also fair warning, Sister LaRue has a FILTHY mouth and there are no bells to censor her this time.

Everything about this made Ned extremely uncomfortable. 

Just the sight of the convent made him squirm, and he shuffled from foot to foot as he stared up at the large stone building before him, one that he would never set foot in if he could help it. 

Unfortunately, he couldn’t help it in this sense. 

Emerson had gotten a call from a distressed nun to uncover the reason behind a fellow nun’s suicide. However, those closest to the deceased felt that the suicide ruling was hasty and they needed someone more qualified to find out how she really died. Emerson decided to take the case to earn him some brownie points with the ‘good side’ of things, as he was sure that some of his more...earthly habits (and his proximity to a literal demon) weren’t doing anything to make his soul any cleaner. Chuck was more than willing to help the Sisters of the Divine Magnatum, but Ned wanted to stay as far away from any holy ground as his wings could take him. However, Emerson insisted that he accompany them despite Ned’s protests, verbal and otherwise.

“Listen, pie boy,” Emerson had reasoned when faced with Ned’s vigorously shaking head, “You may be the only demon with a sense of humanity but that doesn’t mean I trust you completely yet. I didn’t even before I saw them horns of yours. Think of this as closure; you help me help those sisters and I might be swayed to believe you have some good in you."

And so here Ned stood, tugging at his fake clerical collar that they got at a Halloween store, as anything even remotely real would feel close to strangulation for the poor demon. Chuck stood on his right, dressed in nun’s robes and looking sympathetically up at her boyfriend. Ned had told her beforehand that just being on holy ground wouldn’t seriously hurt him, it would just make him extremely uncomfortable. As he described it, 

“Almost like walking on pavement barefoot after a 100 degree day, but all over.”

He also explained that it would be harder for him to keep up the human disguise for long periods within the convent, as holy places like that had a knack for exposing demons as they really were. He was just hoping that he was alone with either Chuck or Emerson when some part of his demon nature decided to make itself known; the thought of a bunch of angry nuns brandishing crucifixes was not appealing to him.

Chuck seemed to sense Ned’s sense of impending dread, and she slipped her hand into his and gave it a little squeeze. Ned gave her an unsure smile in return. Turning his head over to Emerson, he said, 

“Alright, let’s get this over with. The sooner I can stretch out in the apartment without worrying about divine wrath the better.”

Emerson rolled his eyes. 

“Well, the sooner you get me some answers from this dead nun, the sooner we get out of here, oh demonic one. Let’s go.”

And with that, the trio entered the convent, ready to begin the investigation. 

\------------------

Yep, Ned still hated this. 

After being introduced to Mother Superior and Father De Donde (as Father Dowling, Father Malcahey, and Sister Christian, respectively), Emerson, Ned and Chuck had been cleared to go look at the body, which was on display in the chapel. The second Ned passed under the doorway, the slight burning under his feet got just a little hotter, and he hissed in discomfort. Unfortunately, the two heads of the convent had not left the room yet, and Mother Superior glanced at Father De Donde briefly before Ned managed to get himself under control. Sheepishly, he turned to the holy figures. 

“Sorry, migraine.”

This wasn’t an entirely false confession, as his horns were so desperate to show themselves that it was taking all his willpower to keep them hidden, which caused quite the headache. 

Emerson noticed Ned’s distress and politely ushered Mother Superior and Father De Donde out of the chapel so that they could continue their investigation in peace. As soon as Chuck and Emerson had checked to make sure no one was watching, Ned’s shoulders and human disguise dropped simultaneously. He rolled his neck a bit and shook himself out, relieved that some of the discomfort of being in the convent had lessened now that he was showing his true self. 

“Oh, thank….”

He looked over at the visages of Mary and Jesus that littered the room.

“...someone that they’re gone. This feels so much better.”

Chuck smiled and patted his arm, happy to receive a fanged smile in return for the contact. Emerson, however, was done waiting. Directing Ned’s attention to the corpse, Emerson said, 

“Alright, now that you’ve dropped your coat so to speak, why don’t you use them freaky demon wings of yours to get yourself over to that corpse faster; I’m not particularly excited about trying convent food but if you spend any more time standing around and I miss lunch then you’re gonna start gettin’ real confused as to who the real demon is.”

Ned gulped and made his way over to Sister LaRue’s corpse. Examining her quickly, Ned hovered one claw over her clasped hands. 

“Be back soon.”

As soon as his flesh touched the deceased, Ned disappeared in a flash of fire, leaving Chuck and Emerson to watch the doors and wait for him to return with answers. 

\------------

Ned had never been so excited to return to Hell. 

The immediate relief that came with going from the uncomfortable burning of the convent to the comforting warmth of the demonic flames was like jumping into a deliciously cool lake after a day spent in the hot summer’s sun. He felt himself relax and took a moment to breathe comfortably as the demon he was before setting on his quest for Sister LaRue. 

As per the portal spell he had used whenever he worked on an investigation, he only had one minute to locate the soul whose body he had touched before he lost their trail in the endless crowds of Hell. Luckily, during that minute the person he was looking for had a very distinct aura, and he never appeared too far away from them. That is, if they stood still. 

Which Sister La Rue was definitely not doing. 

Before Ned had even managed to get his bearings after teleporting he saw the former nun booking it away from him, with skirts hiked up and eyes wild. Ned barely had time to think before he was sprinting out of her, shouting, 

"Nun on the run, nun on the run!"

Unfortunately for LaRue, Ned's long legs and supernatural speed meant that she was caught almost immediately, with Ned gently grabbing the back of her hood and effectively stopping her wild dash. He moved in front of her and therefore prevented her from making a run for it again. LaRue, on her part, didn't seem phased at the demon that had just chased her down, but was more miffed about the fact that she was seeing a demon in the first place. And the holy vow she had taken in life did not stop her from telling Ned exactly what she thought of her situation and of him. 

"What the fuck is this? Where’s my white light? I knew that nun stuff was bullshit!”

Ned, utterly surprised by her language and brash nature, could only blink his glowing eyes at her. This seemed to anger LaRue, who rounded on him next. 

“And you! A fuckin’ demon! I should be surrounded by saints! Not some idiot with stupid horns!”

Ned reached up and placed a hand on his left horn self-consciously. Then, remembering he had a mission to complete, he attempted to interrupt her rather rude rant. 

“Listen, I need to know...”

But Sister LaRue wasn’t paying any attention, since she had begun to pat herself down with increasing desperation. She looked wildly up at Ned, who was so startled at the sudden eye contact. LaRue, crazy and reckless, lunged forward and grabbed the front of Ned’s shirt, causing his wings to flare in alarm and an involuntary growl to rise up in his throat as he took a step back. 

“Where are my diamonds! Someone took my diamonds! Whoever shoved me off of that bell tower is gonna pay!”

Ned blinked, momentarily forgetting LaRue’s invasion of his personal space. 

“Diamonds? What diam-wait did you say shoved?”

But when he looked down, LaRue was gone, sprinting away from him and off in search of...something. Ned would have chased her down, but he knew he had already been away from the mortal world for too long. Although his council with LaRue had created more questions than it solved, he knew he would just have to make the best of what he had. Which also meant he had to spend more time in the convent. 

Whoopee. 

Ned took to the air, snapping his fingers once he got high enough and soaring through the portal he had created, which disappeared behind him in a puff of smoke. 

Emerson was not going to be happy. 

\---------------

A few hours had passed since Ned had returned with the information and donned his human disguise again. As expected, Emerson was not happy with the prospect of having to do more work, just as Ned was not happy about having to stay any longer at the convent. However, Chuck had promised to stay at his side, which made the prospect of being on enemy territory without a paddle just a little easier to bear. 

That didn’t mean it wasn’t still uncomfortable. 

Now Ned and Chuck found themselves walking down the lowermost corridors of the convent, With Ned leading the way with a small fire alight in the palm of one hand as a kind of makeshift candle while his other hand held onto Chuck’s. They were examining the surrounding areas for clues while Emerson searched Sister LaRue’s room. Since they were alone, Ned had allowed a few more of his demonic features to show; his hands had become claws, his fangs filled his mouth and his horns were at about half-height, just so they could be easily retracted if someone started heading their way. 

Chuck put her head on Ned’s arm, and Ned wasted no time in putting his free arm around her, making sure that his claws were just gently resting on her arm. He pulled her closer to him and looked down at her, smiling that fanged smile that made Chuck melt. She grinned back and snuggled in closer to him, falling into step with the demon as she watched the flame he had conjured dance across his palm. No matter how many times she experienced his little demonic quirks, they still amazed her. She was incredibly lucky-in more ways than one-that he had been the demon she had summoned that night. 

She was so lost in her reminiscing that she had failed to notice that Ned had gone still. 

Looking up, she could see that he was listening to something that she couldn’t hear. Just another quirk he enjoyed: heightened senses, which had saved his secret from being exposed several times. And it looked like it was about to do the same again. 

“Someone’s coming.”

“Then let’s hide!”

Chuck could hear the steps too now, and she watched as Ned extinguished the flame by closing his palm. She could feel his claws retreating as he gently pulled her into a corner, and a quick glance up revealed that what little of his horns had been showing were now gone. The two of them looked out from the edge of the corner they had chosen to hide behind, with Chuck tucked safely under Ned’s arm in case things went south. Both Ned and Chuck’s minds raced with everything that could come around the corner, but whatever they were imagining, they were wrong. 

Firstly, because the something that was approaching didn’t come around the corner, but through a hidden door in the wall, and secondly, instead of some hideous ghoulie or murderer emerging, it was the veiled head of Mother Superior, who quickly disappeared into the stairway. 

Ned and Chuck watched her figure retreat, then looked at each other. Simultaneously, they spoke. 

“We have to tell Emerson.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hoped you liked it! Just between us part Two is a lot better so be on the lookout for that! 
> 
> Please leave a comment, I thrive on feedback. I'm in college, throw me a bone here.


	3. Get thee out of a Nunnery (Part Two)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Part Two of the "Bad Habits" Episode re-write. How will Ned handle being in a convent for much longer? How will the case be solved? Will Ned's secret be exposed? Read to find out!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's Part Two y'all. I'm really proud of this but it's barely canon compliant. There's fluff, angst and a lot of other stuff, so I hope you enjoy!
> 
> As usual, give me that sweet sweet validation.

Ned lay in the cot the convent had provided him and looked at the cracked ceiling. He definitely wasn’t going to be able to sleep while he was here, so he settled on evaluating the events of the day. 

While he and Chuck had been investigating the catacombs, Emerson had been snooping around in LaRue’s room and found a secret stash of contraband goodies that LaRue had been smuggling for the other nuns. Wondering where they came from, he and Ned decided to investigate the secret tunnels while Chuck went upstairs and distracted Mother Superior. Upon entering the tunnels, Ned’s heightened sense of smell picked up the scents of blood and rotten food (which made him gag) from further in the catacombs and followed it through to a secret door leading to the kitchen of world renowned chef Hansel Van Getz, who had tied them up upon discovering them. And while Ned had been planning on busting himself and Emerson out of their bonds if things went south, he wasn’t expecting to have Hansel break down upon learning of LaRue’s death, as apparently he had developed feelings for her after he smuggled her the contraband goods in exchange for truffles. After treating them to a dinner (which Ned eagerly devoured, maybe with a little more fangs than necessary for pasta), Emerson found a rather threatening note addressed to the chef written in suspiciously familiar handwriting. Then, Hansel introduced a large white Italian truffle that LaRue had gifted him, a true to life “Diamond of the Table”. Upon learning the epithet of the rare fungi, Ned and Emerson returned back to Chuck with the information and a hunch about LaRue's so-called 'ice'. 

Meanwhile, Chuck had been having her own little adventure attempting to distract Mother Superior. She had entered her offices and been enticed into conversation; conversations that had become increasingly awkward as Chuck tried (mostly successfully) to skirt around the fact that her boyfriend was quite literally a demon from Hell that she had summoned herself using occult forces. She had been incredibly relieved when Ned appeared at Mother Superior’s door to fetch her. Unfortunately, as he did he accidentally brushed his hand against a crucifix by the door and flinched away, quickly and quietly enough that he was able to play it cool and pretend that he had slipped. So after a quick goodnight to a slightly suspicious Mother Superior, Ned pulled Chuck away and they went to their respective rooms for the night. 

But as he laid there, tossing and turning, Ned realized that any attempt at relaxing was hopeless. He had most definitely ditched the fake priest’s outfit for his casual wear the second he was alone, although that did very little to ease his discomfort. The rosary by the door seemed to give him heartburn every time he looked at it, and it felt as though the heat of the holy building was starting to become unbearable. He had to leave, he had to get out and take a breather. Thinking about his plan, a small, sly smile began to play over his lips. 

No one said he had to take a breather alone. 

\---------

Chuck leaned against the windowsill of her room, donning Ned’s old t-shirt and sweatpants, which she had brought to sleep in since the nun’s robes were both entirely not her style and too uncomfortable to so anything in besides pray. And even that wasn't a total picnic. She took a deep breath, inhaling the fresh mountain air coming in from the open window. She was worried about Ned and the case, so much so that it became impossible to sleep, so she had decided to take a look around. She could see a patch of woods in the distance, and the mountain ranges split to admit the running of a large river through the valley far below. It was all really quite beautiful, and in her mind’s eye she could imagine soaring over the mountains, wind in her hair and freedom in her heart. 

She was slightly jealous of Ned in that regard. He always had the choice to soar away from anything. Which is why she counted herself as (ironically) blessed to be the only person that she knew he would always soar towards. 

Speak of the devil…

She jumped slightly when she heard the familiar sound of flapping wings and leaned out of the window a bit to look for the source, only to be surprised with the feeling of lips on hers. Her shock only lasted a moment though, as she realized it was just Ned, who had evidently flown under her to surprise her. She leaned into his kiss, then backed up slightly to let him perch on the windowsill. Only his wings were out now, but Chuck could tell that he was itching to go full demon. Clasping her hand behind her back and rocking back and forth on her heels, she smiled at him. 

“That was sneaky of you.”

Ned gave her a sheepish smile, and his wings gave a little flutter as he found his balance. 

“I know, but I was worried I would scare you and I figured if you were going to be startled then at least I could soften the blow a bit.”

Chuck giggled softly, then moved closer and gave Ned a little peck. 

“Well, it worked. So what are you up to at this time of night?”

Ned rubbed the back of his neck before meeting Chuck’s eyes.

“I can’t stay here overnight, Chuck. Just being on this window is uncomfortable, I need to get away from the convent for the night if I’m going to be able to do anything even remotely close to sleep. So I’m taking a little flight to find a place to hunker down for the night, and I was wondering if you would give me the honor of accompanying me.”

Extending a hand in a mock bow, Ned stepped into the room and waited for her answer. He obviously didn’t have to wait long before her hand was in his and he was pulling her tight as they stepped onto the windowsill together. Chuck wrapped her arms around his neck and he wrapped his hands around her waist, attaching her securely to him. Snuggling in, Chuck whispered, 

“You are clear for takeoff.”

Ned chuckled and Chuck braced herself as he bent his legs and sprang into the air, his powerful wings carrying the two of them easily into the clouds. Chuck felt entirely safe-as she always did in Ned’s arms-as she watched the mountains fall away below her.

The further they got from the convent, the more of Ned’s disguise fell away. His horns took their proud place on his forehead, she could see the fangs in his smile, his claws took their place against her skin and his glowing eyes provided more luminance for her than the stars above.

Even as a hellish demon, Ned was still one of Chuck’s favorite sights to behold.

She could feel the gentle rise and fall of Ned’s body as his wings flapped methodically. He smiled down at her, and she beamed back. This was not the first flight they had taken together, and Chuck prayed to any powers that would listen that it wouldn’t be the last. As they moved upwards, Chuck removed one hand from Ned’s neck and held it out, a giggle escaping her as her hand sliced through a cloud. Ned looked down at her and fell a little more in love, as he usually did when he saw her. He just loved how the wind made her cheeks rosy and her hair wild and how she laughed at the clouds. 

He knew he was the luckiest demon in all of heaven or hell to have met her, and even more so that she had seen through his demonic nature and found something worth loving in him. 

Spotting the forest down below, Ned started to make his descent, aiming for a small clearing he had spotted from above. Chuck looked down and saw nothing but darkness, but she trusted Ned completely to lead her someplace safe. 

Eventually, Ned righted himself and touched down one leg at a time, gently releasing Chuck as his wings folded themselves neatly on his back. Realizing that Chuck didn’t have the night vision he did, he lit a small flame in his hand and held it aloft, illuminating the small clearing. The trees were arranged in a loose, jagged circular formation, and a large boulder sat in one corner, covered in moss and casting weird shadows in the firelight. The ground was covered in a soft, lush bed of grass, which Chuck had to admit looked ridiculously comfortable. She turned away from admiring the clearing to see Ned, stretching his wings towards the sky and his face one of almost complete bliss. Chuck almost immediately felt terrible; her poor demon had been on holy ground for so long, he must not have gotten the chance to stretch out until now. Making her way over to him, she saw him lower his wings and open his arms at her approach, pulling her in and resting his head on hers. She kissed him then, almost as an apology for what he had been through. And judging by his reaction, Chuck was sure she was forgiven. 

They separated and looked around them. There were a few fireflies dotted around, flashing greetings to each other as Ned and Chuck watched, holding each other close. Eventually, neither of them could deny how tired they were, or how inviting the grass looked. Smiling at each other, they both knew they had the same idea.

Ned and Chuck both lowered themselves onto the grass and positioned themselves so that they were facing each other; Ned on the right and Chuck on the left. Ned's right wing draped itself over Chuck as she snuggled closer to him, making a little makeshift blanket for her. In response, one of Chuck’s hands found its way to Ned’s hair. She began to lazily run her hands through his locks and around the base of his horns, causing a low, rumbling purr to make its way out of Ned's chest. He pulled her closer, and Chuck gladly snuggled in. Another perk of having a demon boyfriend; Ned’s body was like a cuddly space heater. Chuck settled into place as Ned placed his head on top of hers, his claws gently tracing soothing circles on her back. Not a lot of people would feel completely safe in the embrace of a demon, but in Ned’s arms was where Chuck felt safest. 

The last words she heard before dozing off was a soft “I love you”, Ned’s voice practically buried in the rhythmic sound of his purrs. 

And although Chuck was too sleepy to say it back, the last thing he felt before he fell asleep was a little squeeze around his middle, and he knew exactly what Chuck meant.

\---------------------------

The morning came slowly, which gave the two sleeping partners in the clearing plenty of time to wake up. Ned awoke first, blinking his glowing eyes slowly to give them time to adjust to the dim, pale blue glow of the morning sun. A quick glance down told him that Chuck was still fast asleep. He smiled, taking in her relaxed features and tiny little resting smile. As a supernatural entity, he didn’t exactly need sleep, but he was more than happy to drift off if it meant he could always wake up to Chuck at his side. Careful not to wake up his beautiful girlfriend, he gently used one claw to move some hair out of her face, marveling at how her subconscious reaction to his touch was to move closer to him. His wing was still draped around her, and he pulled it closer, making sure she was still comfortably held against him. 

Forcing his attention away from Chuck, Ned took a moment to look around. Something in his gut told him it was very early morning, and something else told him that the people in the convent would be waking up soon. And as much as he would have loved to stay with Chuck forever, he knew that they would have a lot of uncomfortable explaining to do if they didn’t get back on time.

Now came the task of waking Chuck up. 

Smiling, Ned dipped down and placed a gentle kiss on Chuck’s forehead, then each of her cheeks. A quiet, contented hum left her lips, but Ned knew he would need to keep working to wake her up fully. Ned saw her snuggle into him further and she was just so damn  _ cute _ that he felt another purr start to bubble up in his throat, and he nudged his head gently against Chuck’s. 

“Hey, Chuck honey, we have to get up. We have to get back to the convent before people notice that we’re gone.”

Chuck groaned lightly, and with another gentle kiss from Ned, her eyes fluttered open before focusing on the demon holding her. She smiled groggily and ran a hand through her hair before smiling up at her boyfriend, whose purrs were rumbling against her chest. 

“Good morning, O hellish one.”

Ned chuckled and pressed his forehead to Chuck’s. 

“Good morning to you too, honeybee.”

Chuck pulled herself closer to Ned, and the two of them shared an early morning embrace. Then, they slowly worked on getting up, with Ned taking a moment to massage the joints in his wings and shaking them out. Chuck stretched and yawned, slowly walking around the perimeter of the clearing to wake herself up. Ned stood and shook himself out, then made eye contact with a very concerned deer for a few moments before Chuck slid under his arm as the deer bounded away. 

“Ready to go?”

Ned smiled at her, then wrapped his arms around her as she did the same. 

“Yeah. Let’s get back so we can finish this investigation and go home.”

Chuck nodded and held on tight. Before she knew it she and Ned were above the clouds again, headed back to the convent and to the investigation.

\-------------------

Ned and Chuck, now fully re-clothed in their religious garb, were walking side by side down the halls of the convent, pondering the information they had been given. 

After landing in the convent bell tower and sneaking back into their rooms, Ned and Chuck had gotten ready for the day and then had made their way to Emerson’s room. After asking them where the hell they had been all night and receiving only vague answers about ‘needing to get away’. He then explained how he had found a penance list with the same handwriting that was on the note addressed to the shelf, leading him to formulate the theory that Mother Superior was responsible for both notes. Emerson suggested that maybe she had offed LaRue after finding out that she had been smuggling banned goods to the other nuns, and although he admitted it might be a little extreme, he didn’t have any other leads to go on. He told his investigative partners that he was planning on confronting the head nun about her involvement in LaRue’s death, and asked that Ned and Chuck try to look around for more clues he could use as hard evidence to back up his claim. 

And so Ned and Chuck found themselves walking back towards the chapel, wanting to formulate a plan of attack. Chuck looked up at Ned as they walked. 

“So, what are you thinking?”

Ned’s brows furrowed, and he let out a tiny growl as they passed under a large cross. 

“I’m not sure. I’d say one of us should go up to the bell tower and check for clues there, but as for where else to search, I’m not-”

“I’m sorry, am I interrupting anything?”

Both Ned and Chuck whirled around, Ned suppressing a surprised hiss as he was greeted with the sight of Father De Donde, who looked slightly surprised at their reaction. Remembering his purpose for stopping them, he asked,

“Father Malcahey, would you please come with me?”

Ned looked at Chuck and then back to the Father De Donde.

“Uh, ye-I mean, of course.”

Father De Donde gave an unsure smile and nodded to Chuck as he started down the hallway. 

“Excellent. This way please.”

Ned gave one last panicked look at Chuck over his shoulder before disappearing around the corner. Chuck spent a moment worrying about how Ned would fare alone with a priest, but she had faith that he would be okay. So, she decided to use her time to do something useful, and made her way to the bell tower. 

\----------------

Ned was incredibly uncomfortable with this situation. 

Father De Donde had apparently called upon Ned to hear his confession, but sitting in the priest seat was not a good position for Ned to be in. Even though he knew the box was dark and that he was mostly hidden from view, he had to feign running a hand through his hair in order to hide the little stubs of his horns that he couldn’t prevent from showing. Eventually, he asked Father De Donde to switch with him, as he figured the seat where people confessed their greatest sins would be the best place for a demon. Able to breathe comfortably again once the places were switched, Ned took a moment to register that the real priest had asked him what his sins were. Ned blanked for a moment, with the obvious answers flashing through his mind. 

_ Well, I’m a demon from Hell impersonating a priest in a convent, for a start. And I did break one of Chuck’s Aunt’s cheese plates one time, but in my defense I still wasn’t used to my wings yet.  _

Deciding that none of that would be fit for a priest to hear, he settled on a vague answer. 

“Well, sometimes I feel like I get roped too easily into situations I feel uncomfortable in, and I feel like sometimes I don’t get to be entirely myself in front of others.”

Father De Donde was quiet, then he answered, 

“Interesting.”

By the time he realized that the priest’s voice was way too close, it was too late. Father De Donde had pulled back the curtain hiding Ned, and was glaring down at him. 

“Well,  _ M*A*S*H’s _ Father Malcahey, here’s your chance to drop the act. Why don’t you tell me who you really are.”

Ned gulped. 

\------------------------

Chuck paced the belltower, looking for clues about Sister LaRue’s murder. She was still worried about Ned, but she didn’t want to return to him without finding some kind of information, as it meant he didn’t go through all that religious discomfort for nothing. She noticed some polishing materials in the corner, and decided to see if she could find any clues by retracing some of LaRue’s steps. However, as she stepped up to the bells, she realized something about their composition. 

“Stainless Steel…”

Realizing that stainless steel didn’t need to be polished, Chuck looked around and saw that Sister LaRue spent hours up here doing practically nothing. Once that clue fell into place, more questions bubbled to the surface, particularly involving a bucket with a footprint that led to a small rope. Deciding to take a chance, she stepped onto the bucket and pulled the rope, but instead of a tiny bell, part of the wall opened up to reveal a small laboratory. 

Confused but intrigued, she reached into a crate resting on the table, and came up with handfuls of truffles. She took a few steps away from the hidden lab as realization struck her. LaRue had been using her polishing time up here to experiment on truffles, and apparently she had hit the jackpot. 

Chuck, however, was not so lucky. 

As she was coming up with the answers she craved, she hardly took time to notice the noise of someone approaching, and only saw them when it was too late. The intruder gave her one hearty shove, and the truffles Chuck had been holding went flying as she herself tumbled out of the open bell tower window and towards the courtyard below. 

\----------------

Ned tried to ignore the burning of the priest’s hands as he was thrown unceremoniously into a spare room, where he was surprised to already see Emerson pacing and looking disgruntled. 

Emerson watched as De Donde shoved Ned in and shut the door, and Ned could hear Donde and Mother Superior on the other side of the door, talking about where to find Chuck. He felt the startings of a growl rumble in the back of his throat, and could feel his claws and fangs growing in. Emerson watched the change come over Ned and shuddered. 

“Listen pie boy, before you go full Lucifer on their ass why don’t you help me find a way outta here so I can put the cuffs on those heavenly sinners.”

Ned nodded, closing his now-glowing eyes and beginning to look around the room with Emerson, searching for a key, a credit card, a hair pin, anything that could help them open the door so they could find Chuck and put an end to this investigation. The more he searched, the more desperate Ned became; he just wanted to get to Chuck and get out of this convent, so much so that his irritation at his situation overshadowed his discomfort of being in a room covered in stained glass and crucifixes. And Emerson wasn’t helping any. 

“Did you find the keys?”

Ned’s head shot up, eyes glowing and claws rifling through a pile of papers. 

“I assure you, if I find anything key-ish, you’re the first person I would tell.”

Emerson barely had time to react to Ned’s sass when a cry rang out through the night. 

“HELP!!!”

Ned’s eyes shot up, his blood running cold in his veins. 

“That’s Chuck!”

Emerson, sensing Ned’s building frantic energy, took the flag by the window and shattered the window closest to him immediately. It’s a good thing he did, too, as he had barely broken the first shard when Ned threw his body out of the window, demonic features hidden and desperate to see if Chuck was okay. Luckily, they were on the first floor, so Ned only had to pick himself up and dust the glass off of his priest costume before sprinting towards the sound of her voice, joining a congregation of nuns that had heard the same cry. 

Upon reaching the courtyard, Ned’s heart dropped and might as well have died altogether. 

He could see Chuck clinging for dear life onto the windowsill of the belltower, legs scrambling for purchase and robes flailing around her ankles. With his sensitive hearing, he could hear her grunting and panting with the effort of keeping her grip on the tower. Emerson arrived behind Ned and started swearing before bolting away to find something for her to land on. The nuns that had arrived on the scene were yelling and praying, trying to find a way to save her. 

But before anyone could think of anything, Chuck started to slip. 

Ned didn’t even think; the second he saw one of Chuck’s hands fall off the ledge he began sprinting forward, yelling,

“I’m coming, Chuck!”

He ignored Emerson shouting at him to come back, he ignored the gasps of the nuns and priests behind him, and before he knew it he was in the air, wings ripping through his fake robes and carrying him swiftly towards the love of his life…

Just as she began to fall. 

Ned’s eyes went wide and he flapped his wings frantically, arms outstretched. He saw Chuck reach towards him as she fell, and with one last powerful flap he snatched her waist in his arms, pulling her to him and effectively saving her from a horrific end. He felt Chuck wrap her arms around his neck, clinging to him and gasping for air. He clutched her around the waist and buried his head in her neck, absolutely relieved that he had made it in time. He opened his wings and hovered in midair for a moment, letting Chuck catch her breath and completely ignoring everyone and everything else. Breathing her in and feeling her breathing even out, Ned placed a hand on her cheek and gently brushed her cheek with a claw. 

“Thank God you’re safe, Chuck. I thought I was gonna lose you.”

Chuck let out a shaky chuckle and gave Ned a quick peck.

“You’re not going to get rid of me that easily. Thank you for saving me.”

Ned squeezed her tight and began a slow descent to the ground. 

“I told you, Chuck. I would do anything for you.”

He gently touched down and let Chuck go slowly. She took a few shaky steps in order to make sure no major damage had been done. Once she determined that she was fine, she turned back to Ned. He smiled at her and took a step forward, intending to wrap his arms around her again and make absolutely sure she was okay….

But before he could he let out a hiss of pain and clutched his arm. 

Mother Superior stood in front of him, eyes ablaze and clutching the crucifix that she had brandished at Ned. He heard Chuck cry out and saw her try to run towards him, but he was stopped by Father De Donde, who held her back and tried to keep her from running towards the demon. Chuck, of course, was having none of it and began struggling and thrashing in his grip. Ned tried to reach her but before he knew it he was surrounded by nuns, rosaries and crucifixes on every side. His wings flared, his eyes blazed and his fangs were brandished as he hissed, clutching his arms and trying to make himself as small as possible. He was surrounded and could barely move, but his only thought was of Chuck and getting to her and ow these prayers hurt and is Chuck okay he needed to get her out of here he needed…

He clutched his ears as a gunshot rang through the air, making the nuns turn their attention away from him for a split second. But before they could react, Emerson had placed himself in front of Ned, brandishing his pistol and pulling Chuck away from Father De Donde. Chuck moved behind Emerson and helped Ned up, supporting his weight a bit as he clutched his side and tried to recover from the pain of the nun’s spiritual attack. He lifted his head slightly to watch as Emerson sneered at the gaggle of nuns, who were still staring at Ned like he was about to kill them. 

“I’m sorry ladies, but last I checked I thought Nuns were supposed to help people? What they hell were you thinking, attacking after he just saved Chuck like that? You’re lucky I had my gun to scare y’all with, or else I would have pulled your asses off of him with my bare hands.”

Ned was slowly regaining strength, and he could feel Chuck moving around him to see if anything was damaged, turning each of his claws over in her hands, examining his horns, looking into his eyes and unfolding his wings gently to look for tears or burns. She cradled his head in her hands and he looked gratefully down at her, thanking her with his eyes and feeling incredibly grateful for her presence in his life for the millionth time. He was barely paying attention to the exchange going on between Emerson and Mother Superior, but he did hear the end of her rant. 

“-or all we know, he could have been the dark force behind Sister LaRue’s suicide, feeding her dark thoughts until he took her own life!”

Emerson and Ned were so blown away by how wring that statement was that they couldn’t respond. Chuck, however, took the reins. 

“Ned had nothing to do with LaRue’s death! And she didn’t commit suicide! She had a secret truffle laboratory in the belltower; Pigby wandered up there while she was holding some truffles and he accidentally pushed her out of the window trying to get them! That’s what happened to me; I was investigating, I had some truffles in my hand and Pigby shoved me! Ned had nothing to do with either incident, and if it weren’t for him I would have joined LaRue by now!”

Ned and Emerson looked at her, Ned with appreciation for vouching for him and Emerson with admiration towards how she had solved the case. The trio of investigators could see the occupants of the convent process this information, and Ned finally stood up to his full height behind Emerson, taking Chuck under one arm and sneaking a kiss on the top of her head. He could sense the slow acceptance of some of the nuns, but Mother Superior was not convinced. She steeled herself and raised her chin so she was looking Emerson in the eye. 

“Sir, although I will admit that you and your colleagues have done the Sisters of the Divine Magnatum a great service by disproving the suicide of Sister LaRue, I am still not totally convinced of that Godforsaken creature’s good intentions.”

Ned could feel Chuck bristle under his arm, and she was about to respond when Emerson spoke for her. 

“First off, his name is Ned. And second off, what’ll it take to convince you so that we can get out of here and you’ll leave us alone?”

Mother Superior huffed and moved herself so she could look Ned in the eyes. Her cold eyes met his glowing ones, and she spoke to him. 

“Demon, I beseech thee, in the name of Almighty God, speak the truth. Why have you entered this mortal plane?”

Ned felt a tug on his soul, and knew that he wouldn’t be able to lie to her in his answer. Noth that he wanted to; his answer had been as clear as day to him since the moment he was summoned. He could feel Chuck glance up at him and broke eye contact with Mother superior only for a moment to smile at her. Then he spoke, his words echoing in his mind and soul.

“I came here for Chuck. To be with her, to help her, to be there for her, to love her. That’s all I’ve done and all I ever want to do, as long as I exist. And that’s the honest-to-God truth.”

He saw Chuck beam up at him, and he used one hand to gently guide her head onto his. He pressed his forehead to hers and placed a gentle kiss there. He knew that he had passed Mother Superior’s test, but more than anything he hoped that Chuck had understood just how true his words are. He loved her more than anything, and judging by the lips on his he assumed that the same was true for her. As Emerson wrapped things up with the nuns, he looked down into her sparkling green eyes. 

“I love you, Ned.”

“I love you too, Chuck.”

Back to full strength, Ned wrapped his arms around Chuck again and smiled at her.

“How would you feel about taking the scenic route home?”

Chuck smiled, getting the hint and wrapping her arms around Ned’s neck. 

“I would love to.”

Ned smiled at her and flapped his wings once, testing them. Finding them satisfactory, he tapped Emerson on the shoulder. 

“Don’t wait up for us, I’m taking Chuck home.”

Emerson rolled his eyes but waved them off with one hand before turning back to the nuns to finish out the transaction. The nuns watched, dumbfounded, as Ned sprang into the air, laughing as Chuck whooped in delight. They watched as Ned circled the belltower once before soaring off into the horizon, Chuck in his arms, headed home at last. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ned is finally out of there phew.
> 
> Don't worry, I promise the other one shots will be a lot fluffier.
> 
> As usual, please tell me what you think because it really gives me motivation to keep writing. I hope you enjoyed this, have a great day!

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed! Please leave a comment and let me know if you want more!


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